Blog Archive: 2011

One thing that really, really bothered me when I was preparing for law school is that no one would give me an idea of what it is like to be an actual law student. When I asked the 2Ls how long they spent reading every night, I would get answers like "it depends" or "well, everyone is different."

Yes, everyone is different, and yes, it really will depend. It will depend on how many pages your professor assigns, and whether or not you are a really good reader, and how many times you check facebook (here's a hint: the more you check it, the longer homework will take you). But, in the interest of getting you prepared and letting you know what to expect, here are my general experiences:

I think that Nicole and Dania have done a great job telling you about themselves and why they chose Carolina Law. When I was in your shoes, I felt so unprepared. I had never actually met a law student, I had no one to talk to, and I didn't know what to expect. How many hours would actually spend in class a day or studying at night? Would I be behind because, as a science major, I had never really taken an essay exam or a history or policy course? Do students get free tickets to basketball games? Here's some things I wish I had known:

I guess I will piggyback on Dania's first entry (which is spot-on by the way) and tell you a little bit about my background. I am Erika Nicole Jones and I am a 2L at Carolina Law. I grew up in Grifton, a small town of 2,240 in the eastern portion of North Carolina. I left small town living in 2003 to attend Carolina for undergrad and instantly I found a second home. I can honestly say those four years were the best four years of my life. I was not certain what path I wanted to take after graduating in 2007 with a BA in Communication Studies and a minor in Afro-American Studies. I did not know whether I wanted to work full-time or go on to a graduate or professional school. Because I was so torn, I decided to work and give myself time to figure it all out. I took an entry-level executive position with a Fortune 500 company and spent 1.5 years there before changing directions completely and teaching English at a local community college. After an unexpected layoff, I had to make some tough decisions and quick! I decided to revisit my plan of continuing my education and opted to go to law school.

My name is Dania Haider and I am currently a 1L at Carolina. To understand a little about why I chose Carolina Law, I'll start by telling you a little about myself. I grew up outside of Atlanta and graduated from the University of Georgia in 2008. I majored in International Affairs and Romance Languages and upon graduating was accepted into Teach for America. I spent the next two years teaching fourth grade and it was a fantastic experience.

When the time came to apply to law school, I had no idea where to begin. Initially, I started by looking at the rankings. As my search progressed, other factors made their way onto my "perfect law school checklist". In addition to strong rankings, I wanted to find a school that valued public service, whose professors were accessible and accomplished, a place that provided students with a comfortable learning environment, and a collegial atmosphere. As I began learning more and more about Carolina law, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had checked off my entire list. What really sealed the deal was visiting UNC on Admitted Students Day. It was a great opportunity to learn about everything Carolina Law offers, a chance to interact with current students and professors, and to become familiar with beautiful Chapel Hill.

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